Contrary to claims once made by the current Government of Nigeria that “no inch of territory” is under the control of Boko Haram, the Minister of Defence, Brig-Gen. Muhammad Mansur Dan-Ali, has said that two or three Local Government Areas of Borno State are still controlled by the terrorists. Read more

CBN to sell N219bn worth of treasury bills at auction

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) says it plans to sell N218.89 billion worth of treasury bills on April 7. The CBN disclosed this in its treasury bills issuing calendar for second quarter of 2016.

It said it would sell N55.40 billion worth of three-month tenored bills at the auction and N33.49 billion worth of six-month tenored bills. Read more

The Minister of Defence, retired Brig.-Gen. Mansur Dan-Ali has stated that the Federal Government would introduce insurance package for soldiers fighting insurgency in the North-East.

Brig.-Gen. Mansur Dan-Ali made the disclosure while briefing newsmen shortly after a Special Juma’at Prayer to mark the 2016 Armed Forces Remembrance Day celebration in Abuja. “Normally we have package for the families of the fallen heroes but recently we are introducing the death insurance which has not been done before”.Read more

APC Upholds Shehu Sani’s Suspension

he All Progressive Congress in Kaduna State chapter has upheld the suspension of Senator Shehu Sani at his ward as a member of the party and from participating in party activities for a period of eleven months.

The state acting publicity secretary of the party, Alhaji Salisu Tanko Wusono said in Kaduna,“Having exhausted all avenues available to us in the party, we have left with no option than to take the necessary disciplinary measures against Senator Shehu Sani”. Read more

FCTA Releases N1.6bn Bailout for Area Councils’ Staff Salaries

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has released over N1.6bn as bailout to the six area councils in the FCT for the payment of two months’ salaries owed their workers. FCT Minister, Malam Muahammad Musa Bello, disclosed this while briefing journalists in his office on Wednesday.

He said Kwali and Bwari Area Councils got N251,120,125.32 and N289,724,550.00 respectively. Others are Abaji, Kuje, Gwagwalada and Abuja Municipal Area Councils which received N267,724,550.00, N295,708,856.60, N262,559,501.26 and N312,987,740.12 respectively. Read more

Investigators visit Shell offices over Nigerian oil block probe

Royal Dutch Shell Plc’s headquarters were visited by Dutch investigators as part of a probe into the acquisition of an oil license in Nigeria.

“Representatives of the Dutch Financial Intelligence and Investigation Service and the Dutch Public Prosecutor recently visited Shell at its headquarters in The Hague,” the company said Wednesday in an e-mailed statement. “Shell is cooperating with the authorities and is looking into the allegations.” Read more

Boko Haram: Air Force, Innoson Sign MOU for Fighter Jets’ Spare Parts

In order to effectively prosecute the ongoing battle against Boko Haram insurgents in the North-East geo-political zone, the Nigerian Air Force on Wednesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing Company, an indigenous car manufacturing company, for research and production of spare parts for its fighter jets.

The effort is to ensure that aerial battles against the Islamic fundamentalists were not encumbered as a result of lack of spare parts to fix broken down fighter jets and also use the opportunity to encourage local manufacturers. Read more

Members of El Zakzaky’s Sect Charged With Criminal Conspiracy

Members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria have been arraigned at the Chief Magistrate Court 1, Zaria Road, Kaduna and charged with criminal conspiracy and inciting public disturbances.

It could not be confirmed if the plea of the accused were taken or if they had legal representation, but it was learnt that they had been remanded in prison custody. Read more

Buhari borrowing N5 billion A day To Fund 2016 Budget

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has thrown more light into why the N6.08 trillion 2016 federal budget presented by President Muhammadu Buhari is a huge fraud, warning that with the proposed N1.84 trillion borrowing, the nation is going the way of Greece.

Speaking with journalists yesterday in Abuja, the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Olisa Metuh, explained that a breakdown of the N1.84 trillion shows that Nigeria would be borrowing N5 billion a day for the next 365 days, starting from January I, 2016, without corresponding provision for economic production and a clear repayment plan, a scenario that spells doom for the future of the nation. Read more

Dalung apologises for Eagles’ AFCON failure

Minister of Youth Development, Mr. Solomon Dalung has apologised to Nigerians for the failure of the Super Eagles to qualify for the 2017 African Cup of Nations to be hosted by Gabon.

Dalung tendered his apology in a series of tweets on Wednesday. Read more

Shell dragged into Nigeria oil corruption probe
Oil giant Shell has been dragged into a corruption probe linked to a major offshore deal in Nigeria, the company confirmed on Wednesday. Following revelations in the Italian media, the Anglo-Dutch group said that its offices had been “visited” by anti-fraud investigators. Read more

I’ll Never Play Godfather to Ikpeazu, Says Orji

Despite the huge role he played in the emergence of his successor, Senator Theodore Orji has vowed that he would never indulge in playing the role of godfather to Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, saying that it is a recipe for crisis.

Speaking with journalists on Wednesday in Umuahia, the former governor explained that the bad experience he had during his first tenure in office actually informed his decision not to be counted among those that bask in being seen as political godfathers. Read more

Ekiti Lawmakers Flee Homes, Resurface in Ibadan

In a dusk to dawn movement from Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti state, to the city of Ibadan in Oyo state, nine lawmakers of the Ekiti state house of assembly in the early hours ofWednesday stormed Iyaganku press centre of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) where they addressed newsmen on their plight in the hands of the security agents trailing them for arrest.

Led by their Deputy Speaker, Adewumi Olusegun, the lawmakers who apparently fled their state for refuge, appeared to be on transit as they hurriedly addressed reporters and drove to another unknown destination, which THISDAY sources said was in response to the latest invasion of the state by one CSP Mohammed Abubakar of the Force CID, Abuja. Read more

Why mosquitoes bite some people more than others – and it’s nothing to do with blood

Mosquito bites are often the bane of a foreign holiday, and those who are common fodder for the insects will know how horrid it can be.

But despite the oft-heard cry – “why do they always bite me?” – your biting potential isn’t down to your blood, or perfume, or whatever other reasons you may think. It’s actually down to the types of bacteria that exist on your skin. Read more

Iraqis kept in the dark about Mosul Dam emergency plans

Despite intense U.S. pressure to act to keep Iraq’s largest dam from collapsing, Baghdad has done little to prepare Iraqis for the possibility of a burst that could unleash a flood reaching the capital and killing hundreds of thousands of people.

The government signed a $296-million contract with Italy‘s Trevi Group last month to reinforce northern Iraq’s fragile Mosul Dam, but it has not announced any specific plans to try to rescue people in the event of a breach or instructed them in detail how to react safely. Read more

U.S. will not recognise exclusion zone in South China Sea – defence official

The United States has told China it will not recognise an exclusion zone in the South China Sea, U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense Robert Work said on Wednesday.

U.S. officials have expressed concern that an international court ruling expected in coming weeks on a case brought by the Philippines against China over its South China Sea claims could prompt Beijing to declare it an air defence identification zone, or ADIZ, as it did to the north, in the East China Sea, in 2013. Read more

Who will succeed Ban Ki-moon? A guide to the possible candidates

The most high-profile candidate to date, Guterres was Portugal’s prime minister from 1995 to 2002 and then UN high commissioner for refugees for a decade from 2005 to 2015, where he often played the role of the west’s conscience as it failed to respond adequately to the greatest refugee crisis since the second world war. The UNHCR is generally seen as one of the more functional arms of the UN and is held in high esteem. There is no doubt Guterres has ample experience of dealing with both the UN machine and with member states, and is a passionate spokesman. Read more

WC to create 300 000 new jobs in the next five years

Leveraging the Western Cape’s reputation as the “digital gateway to Africa” and a growing platform for new entrepreneurs, provincial Economic Opportunities Minister Alan Winde on Wednesday recommitted his department to further promoting job creation in an effort to add over 300 000 jobs to the economy in the next five years. Delivering his Budget Vote Speech for the 2016/17 financial year on Tuesday, Winde revealed that the Department of Economic Development and Tourism had received R486-million to fund its fight against unemployment in the province. Read more